English Reference

Word

gubernatorial

Phoneticsgu·ber·na·to·ri·al

/ɡuˌbɝnəˈtɔˌɹiəɫ/

Definition

adj. relating to the leader of a state, known as a governor. You usually hear this word when people talk about elections for a state's top office.

adj. relating to a governor or the office of a governor, particularly within the context of a state in the United States.

Examples

“The state is preparing for the upcoming gubernatorial election.”

“The candidate spent millions of dollars on television advertisements during her gubernatorial campaign to reach voters in rural areas.”

“Political analysts suggest that the outcome of the gubernatorial race will serve as a significant bellwether for the national legislative elections scheduled for the following autumn.”

Examples

simple

“The state is preparing for the upcoming gubernatorial election.”

contextual

“The candidate spent millions of dollars on television advertisements during her gubernatorial campaign to reach voters in rural areas.”

complex

“Political analysts suggest that the outcome of the gubernatorial race will serve as a significant bellwether for the national legislative elections scheduled for the following autumn.”

Usage

Typically used attributively before a noun such as 'election', 'race', 'candidate', or 'mansion'.

Pitfall

the governor election

the gubernatorial election

While 'governor' is the person, the formal adjective 'gubernatorial' is the standard term used to describe the election or the office itself.

Real-World Examples

“The gubernatorial candidates Lahn and Sand came out against a June supreme court ruling making it more difficult for people who believe they contracted cancer from exposure to Roundup to sue its manufacturer.”
The Guardian · 16 Aug 2026
“Michigan gubernatorial candidate and current Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson endorsed El-Sayed shortly after the former public health official won the Democratic nomination for U.S.”
The Conversation · 12 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Latin gubernātor (“governor”), from gubernō (“govern”), + -ial.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/gubernatorial

English Reference